The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for automatically cleaning a plurality of planar pads of material having a surface of closely spaced projections. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for poultry husbandry operations in cleaning nest pads.
In layer and breeder houses, poultry are typically provided with partially enclosed, individual nests for roosting. Previously, wood shavings, straw and other particulate matter have been placed in the bottom of these nests to simulate the grass of a natural nest. However, such materials have not been sufficiently sanitary and require frequent replacement. To minimize the time and effort in replacement and to maintain more sanitary conditions for the poultry and the eggs, artificial nest pads have been used in place of particulate matter.
Various different types of nest pads are currently in use. In general, these pads formed from plastic material and have a planar configuration with a plurality of closely spaced projections on the top surface, the surface the bird would be in contact with when roosting. These pads are dimensioned so as to fit within the nest enclosure and are also often flexible so as to conform to the configuration of the nest floor. In some pads the projections are blunt or round-end soft, rubber-like cones. In other pads the projections are irregularly oriented, flexible tabs, such as is found in Astroturf.RTM.. In yet other pads the projections may be a regular array of flexible tabs arranged in a matrix of tufts. Many pad designs include spacings or holes between some or all of the projections in the top surface to allow some debris, manure and moisture to fall through the pad and out of the nest as well as to permit air circulation into the nest.
In virtually every case, however, after a period of time debris and manure will accumulate on the nest pad in and about the projections. Since that accumulation would create an unsanitary environment for the bird and/or the eggs, it is necessary to periodically remove the nest pads. Unlike with prior nests formed from particulate matter, it is usually desirable to clean and reuse the nest pads. However, given that the typical poultry layer and/or breeder facility would have hundreds or thousands of nest pads and that debris and manure tend to cling to the projections, this cleaning project can be an enormous undertaking in terms of time and effort.
Previously, nest pads have been cleaned manually, such as by hosing down and/or scrubbing each pad. Unfortunately, the relatively small size and weight of the pads required a substantial amount of individual handling. Prior devices have been suggested for automating the cleaning process, such as by placing the pads on a conveyor and spraying the pads with cleaning fluid and/or water from a rotating nozzle. Unfortunately, such devices have not always been able to remove all of the debris and manure, particularly that which is not on the pad top surface, but has been trapped between the projections or migrated through the spacings to adhere to the back surface. Further, the particular nature of poultry manure is such that wetting can cause it to become gummy and glue-like and adhere to the projections.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide and improved method and apparatus for cleaning poultry nest pads. Other objects of this invention are to provide for:
a. more complete cleaning of the nest pads with minimal labor, PA1 b. efficient utilization of cleaning fluid and energy resources in the cleaning process, PA1 c. a portable and compact pad cleaning apparatus which is readily installed at a cleaning site, and PA1 d. rapid throughput of pads in the cleaning and sanitizing process.
To accomplish these objectives, an apparatus has been provided wherein nest pads are moved on a conveyor between a plurality of cleaning stations, involving first bending the pads prior to wetting in order to separate debris and dried manure by cracking and breaking from the projections and to further expose the recesses, then spraying the pads with a cleaning fluid at high pressure in a wiping motion across the bent pad, and then spraying with a sheet of cleaning fluid at low pressure across the top and bottom surfaces of the pad while it is in an inverted orientation over a tank or receptacle for receiving the debris, manure and spent cleaning fluid. That receptacle includes an auger or like conveyor for removing settled manure and debris. A filtering and recirculating system is incorporated with the receptacle for reusing at least a portion of the spent cleaning fluid. The conveyor is arranged to remove individual pads from a stack of dirty pads, support the pads through the cleaning stations and return the pads to a stack of clean pads. The entire apparatus can be mounted on a wheeled stand for transport to the poultry house to be serviced.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will now become readily apparent to those of skill in the art from the following drawings and detailed description of preferred embodiments.